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Archive for luglio 2015
Nationals Max Scherzer throws no-hitter after hit-by-pitch spoils perfect game
## ** Just didn*t finish the pitch,** Scherzer said// ** Backed up on me and clipped him// It*s just one of those things that happened// Just focus on what you can do next//** ®
## And for the entire game, Scherzer did just that// He knifed through the Pirates* lineup with ease// Zimmermann threw a no hitter on the final day of the regular season last year with a defense that changed nearly every inning// Scherzer got one of the Nationals best defensive alignments all game//®
## Because Yunel Escobar was scratched just before the game with a stomach bug, Anthony Rendon played his natural position of third base, Danny Espinosa was at second and Ian Desmond was at short// And Scherzer used his defense//®
## The Pirates made solid contact against him in the second inning, all long flyballs, but Harper, Denard Span and Taylor, who slammed against the left field wall, made running catches for outs// Few balls reached that far over the next seven innings// The first time through the order, the Pirates swung early// After that, Scherzer adjusted//®
** It was just kind of the cat and mouse thing where I could recognize what they were doing,** he said//
## Playing in his first game since injuring his hamstring Thursday, Harper boosted Scherzer, smashing a solo home run in the fourth inning to center field off Pirates starter Francisco Liriano, only the second home run he has allowed to a left handed batter this season// ®
## Scherzer may not have needed it, but the Nationals got him five more runs of support, four coming in the sixth// Span reached on a wild pitch, stole his eighth base and scored on Rendon*s double// Harper singled to score Rendon, and Tyler Moore*s two run single chased Liriano//As he did in between every inning, Scherzer watched from the air conditioned clubhouse// He changed his undershirt nearly every inning// Despite the long half inning in the sixth, he was sharp to start the seventh, getting three quick outs, including a strikeout of Andrew McCutchen with a wicked slider// Scherzer bounced off the mound, pumped his fist and jogged into the dugout while the 41,104 people in attendance cheered//®
## ** It was pretty exhausting out there,** he said// ** It was nice and hot and humid// Going through the first six innings was pretty tiring and exhausting, just mentally, but I just kept firing, pounding the zone//**
** I didn*t think they were going to touch anything he was throwing up there,** Harper said®
## With two outs in the eighth, the Nationals shifted far to the right against left handed hitter Pedro Alvarez// Scherzer got Alvarez to hit a soft groundball that way// Rendon dived for the ball but couldn*t make the play// Espinosa, standing in shallow right field, ran to his right, scooped it up and fired a laser to first base to get Alvarez by a step// Near the first base line, Scherzer spun, pumped his fist and screamed//®
** I knew I had to get rid of it quick,** Espinosa said
## Scherzer took the mound again in the ninth to a standing ovation// No one could sit for the final three outs// Gregory Polanco popped out to Rendon, who made the catch in foul territory at the railing of the Pirates* dugout// Jordy Mercer flied out to Span//®
## And then came the only base runner on the 27th hitter Scherzer faced// Soon thereafter, Scherzer was bathed with six bottles of chocolate syrup by Zimmermann, Harper and Jayson Werth// It is a goofy tradition Scherzer started// His hat and jersey may be the first in Cooperstown with chocolate stains//®
** That*s awesome,** Scherzer said// ** Just shows you how much fun we*re having a team//
Tag :
Sport
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Princess of Spain, on trial for corruption
## Spain-s
Princess Cristina, was called to account before a court on charges that her
husband abused millions of euros of public funds// Reportedly, this is the
first time that a direct heir to the throne of Spain summoned by a court// She
is the daughter of King Juan Carlos small// Her husband, Inaki Urdangarin,
denies the charges// He allegedly mbifaturuar local authorities for the
organization of sports activities// Princess was asked to go on trial in Palma
de Mallorca on 27 April//
## It is suspected that the Princess had
information on financial matters to her husband// Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of
Palm, is a former Olympic handball player// He was suspended from official
ceremonies in December monarchy//
City eliminates Chelsea
## Manchester City
has defeated Chelsea 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium continuing to the next round of
the FA Cup//
## Local players played
better in the first half and Jovetic scored in the 17th minute//
## Even in the second
half, the home side continued to be the most dangerous team, while Jose
Mourinho did not motivate his players enough//
Security goal for
Man City Samir Nasri realized in the second half 67'//
This victory sends
Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals//
Manuel Pellegrini-s
team remains in the race for four trophies this season//
Tag :
Sport
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US travel group calls for aviation changes
## A travel organization on Tuesday called
for major changes to the nation-s aviation system, including how to pay for it
and eliminating a tax loophole that it says encourages airlines to charge extra
fees for services like checked bags//
U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow
said the group-s plan is *realistically achievable in the current political
climate* and *stops the incessant kicking the can down the road with no real
improvement//*
## The centerpiece of the plan is to
eliminate five passenger aviation taxes// The net effect on a domestic airline
ticket would be a reduction of between $9//50 and $25//50, based on a base
average round trip airfare of $340, according to U//S// Travel-s calculations//
## However, the group advocated raising an
airport fee, called a passenger facility charge, from $4//50 per ticket to $8//50,
and permanently adjusting the fee for inflation//
## The change would have a pro consumer
benefit, the group said// It would eliminate airlines incentive to collect
revenue through what airlines call ancillary fees, such as for bags and ticket
changes// The IRS in 2009 ruled that those fees are not subject to taxation,
which the group said resulted in *unleashing a major move toward fees by
airlines that has been roundly criticized by travelers//*
## Eliminating the Domestic Passenger Ticket
Tax, one of the five it proposes axing, would remove the airlines incentive to *shelter
mass amounts of revenue in fees,* the USTA said//
## Raising the airport fee would also allow
U//S// airports to modernize// In surveys and rankings, they typically don-t
rank in the top 25 even though the U//S// has some of the busiest airports,
including O-Hare International in Chicago, which is the busiest in the world
when counting passenger and cargo traffic//
## Among those modernizations could be
expanding airport terminal space, allowing new airlines to compete in markets
now dominated by one or a few airlines// *The potential effects for prices and
service could be tremendous,* the USTA said//
## The fee would also provide a source of
funding for airports that sidesteps airlines, which typically pay for airport
improvements and today have the power to block major projects, the group said//
## Airlines have been opposed to raising the
airport fee, saying it-s unnecessary//
##The travel group also suggested changing
the air traffic control system to be a *user fee model//* Airlines and other
users of the air traffic control system would pay a new independent, nonprofit
organization that would provide air traffic services, instead of the Federal
Aviation Administration//
Tag :
LifeStyle
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Carnival Cruise Line to ban carry-on bottled beverages
## Carnival Cruise Line is limiting beverages brought on board, and specifically targeting bottles that could be used to smuggle alcohol// *Beginning July 9, passengers can only bring unopened cans and cartons of water, soda or nonalcoholic beverages, and those are limited to a maximum of 12, which can brought on as carry-on luggage// Limits on cooler size are also being put in place// Passengers and travel agents are being sent a letter explaining the policy//* Guests bringing bottled beverages on board are proving to be a source of multiple issues,* reads a statement issued by Carnival// *The first issue is the impact on the boarding process// Bottled beverages are the most common means by which guests attempt to smuggle alcohol on board which necessitates bottles be individually examined by security personnel// This delays the embarkation process and requires security resources dedicated to checking bottled beverages// The statement further explains, *when behavioral* issues occur on board and are ultimately *investigated, smuggled alcohol often appears to be a factor// Hence, to ensure an enjoyable experience for all guests and crew, we are modifying our *beverage policy//* Part of the policy change also means a slightly lower price for bottled water if purchased before boarding, $2//99 plus tax down from $4//99 plus gratuities// Also, the line still allows one bottle of fine wine or champagne per adult 21 or over to be brought aboard during embarkation// *The policy of not bringing bottled beverages on board applies to ports of call as well// The line says the policy is not a ploy to generate more revenue, but solely to control what it deems an excessive problem causing multiple issues//* *We sincerely apologize for any disappointment these changes may cause,* reads Carnival's statement// *However, we firmly believe these changes will ultimately benefit all guests//
Tag :
Auto Transport
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LifeStyle
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Afghan official: Taliban kill 20 police officers in attack
##Afghan official: Taliban kill 20 police officers in attack
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) Taliban fighters overran multiple checkpoints in a nighttime raid in Afghanistan-s volatile southern Helmand province, killing at least 20 police officers as the battle raged into Saturday, authorities said// The assault came as Afghanistan-s military acknowledged the Taliban controls at least four districts across the country// The attacks in Helmand hit police checkpoints in the Musa Qala district, said Mohammad Ismail Hotak, the head of the province-s joint coordination of police and military operations// He said the attacks wounded at least 10 officers, though the Taliban also seemed to have suffered high casualties// The spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Sediq Sediqqi, said fighting ended Saturday afternoon with around 30 insurgents killed, including a group leader he named as Abdul Hadi// Saqi Jan, the head of police logistics in Musa Qala, said area checkpoints were manned by officers from the neighboring district of Baghran who had been forced out by earlier Taliban attacks// *Baghran has been under Taliban control since last year, so these police came to Musa Qala and built themselves a small compound and some checkpoints,* he said// The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks// The militants have been targeting vulnerable police checkpoints across the country since launching their summer offensive in April// Last month, a Taliban attack in Helmand-s Naw Zad district killed at least 19 police officers// Afghan army Gen// Afzel Aman, the head of the Defense Ministry-s operational department, told journalists Saturday that four districts are now under Taliban control in the country: Nawa in Ghazni province, Baghran and Dishu in Helmand province and Khak-e Afghan in Zabul province// *Fighting is going on almost everywhere compared to last year, and many places are under threat of enemy attack,* Aman said// Afghan forces are fighting alone this year as the U//S// and NATO have ended their combat mission and their casualties are soaring// Between Jan// 1 and May 7, 2,322 army, police and local police personnel were killed, 53 percent more than the same period in 2014, according to NATO// By comparison, a total of 2,217 American service members have been killed since the 2001 invasion//
Tag :
News
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SORE FEET? TRY THESE
## Lavina Bonar-s eureka moment happened a couple of years ago when she faced a dilemma many job seekers can relate to: scrambling to find an outfit for a last minute interview// She found a suit but couldn-t grab shoes that matched her size// And since she couldn-t walk into the interview with a pair that was too roomy she might lose a shoe or fall over, after all she settled for a pair that was one size too small// In the end, Bonar got the job and a whole bunch of blisters//
## Which is how she got inspired to create Sizers, a toe cushion that allows you to adjust the fit of loose shoes// It-s one of several new foot cushions and liners on the market these days designed to help women ease into their heels a little more comfortably// A twist on old school Dr// Scholl-s (he died decades ago, but his company is still around), they-re aimed squarely at the fashion forward// Want to avoid sores from those strappy heels? Fit into those custom wedding shoes? Keep your Jimmy Choos smelling fresh? If so, Sizers which sell for £3//99, or just under $7 could be the product for you//
## But how well do they work? Well, even the fanciest toe cushion these included won-t make Louboutins feel like a pair of Nikes// *Just because you-re wearing these doesn-t mean you can suddenly wear high heels three hours longer,* warns Jacqueline Sutera, a New York City based doctor of podiatric medicine and surgery// And they-re definitely not a fix for conditions such as hammertoes, bone spurs or bunions in fact, they could make those conditions worse, notes Sutera//
## Based in London, Sizers are especially useful for those who have to size up to accommodate wide or slightly different sized feet, says Bonar, who notes they-re also popular with bridesmaids// They-ve even landed on the red carpet: One of her customers is celebrity stylist Jessica Paster//
Tag :
LifeStyle
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Lightning-s Ben Bishop practices, status for Game 5 still uncertain
Lightning-s Ben Bishop practices, status for Game 5 still uncertain
## Asked about the status of his starting goalie on Friday, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper offered the most honest answer he could// If Ben Bishop can play a game, he-s playing, Cooper said// The keeper-s availability for tonight-s crucial Game 5 likely won-t be revealed until just before puck drop, but Bishop crossed the first hurdle Saturday by taking part in the team-s morning skate// Speaking after practice, Bishop said *progress has been made//*
## While that-s great news for the Bolts, it-s no guarantee that he-s good to go// Bishop skated before Game 4 and later spoke to the media but was a last minute scratch// He was replaced by Andrei Vasilevskiy, who shook off some early nerves to make 17 stops in the 2 1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks// There were reports Friday night, none of them official, that the extra day off between games had Bishop on the mend// It-s believed he suffered a left leg injury in Game 2, although that-s not been confirmed by the Lightning//
Tag :
News
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Hillary Clinton urges new era of shared American prosperity
## NEW YORK (AP) Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a new era of shared prosperity in America and told thousands at a presidential campaign rally Saturday that workers can trust her to fight for them//
*It-s America-s basic bargain,* Clinton said// *If you do your part, you ought to be able to get ahead, and when everybody does their part, America gets ahead too//
*That bargain inspired generations of American families, including my own,* the former secretary of state and first lady said//
In the first major speech of her second campaign for president, Clinton portrayed herself as a fierce advocate for those left behind after the recession//
She cited President Barack Obama, and former Presidents Franklin D.Roosevelt and Bill Clinton, her husband, and said they embraced the idea that *real and lasting prosperity must be built by all and shared by all//## Her campaign said her *tenacious fighter* message will form the foundation of the 2016 White House race// She also gave a nod at the start of her address to the prospect she would be the first woman elected to the White House// Clinton told the thousands at the outdoor rally on Roosevelt Island that she was glad to be with them *in a place with absolutely no ceilings//*
## Eager and excited Democrats began assembling hours before they heard from the candidate// Marc Markley of New York said he showed up at 2:30 a//m// and waited in the dark for the gates to open, with only a police officer for company// *I was about to fall asleep earlier, but now it-s totally worth it,* he said// *I can-t wait to get inside//*
## Those arriving were greeted by campaign manager Robby Mook, who took an all hands on deck approach to the event by hawking merchandise a role typically assigned to a low level staffer or volunteer// *Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our rally today,* Mook called out to the crowd filtering into Four Freedoms park, before directing them to a table selling campaign T shirts and other campaign branded gear// *Thanks for being here and buy some products//*
## On Friday, the Clinton campaign released a video on Friday detailing her four decades in public service, starting with her work as a young lawyer at the Children-s Defense Fund//
## After the Saturday speech, Clinton planned to visit early voting states, with events focused on her relationship with her mother and her father-s background as a veteran and small businessman//
## *You have to get up off the floor and you keep fighting,* Clinton says in the video, discussing her failed 1993 attempt to overhaul the nation-s health care system during her husband-s administration// *Everyday Americans need a champion//* Clinton has spoken out strongly on immigration and other issues important to parts of the Democratic base//
## But she has been reticent on other policy questions that have divided the party, among them a trade deal with Pacific Rim nations// Obama backs it// Organized labor, liberals and others say it would cost U//S// jobs//
## On Friday, dozens of union backed House Democrats voted down a critical part of Obama-s trade agenda, negotiating authority that would let him propose trade agreements that Congress could accept or reject, but not amend//
## Clinton did not offer specific policy proposals in her speech// Aides said that would come in the following weeks on issues that include college affordability, jobs and the economy//
## Clinton was joined by her husband and daughter Chelsea at the rally// It was the first time the family had been seen together in public since Clinton began her campaign in April, and the crowd chanted *Bill! Bill! Bill!* when she introduced him//
## *Oh, that will make him so happy,* Clinton said//
## Associated Press Radio Correspondent Julie Walker contributed to this report//
Tag :
ShowBiz
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Tropical System May Brew in Gulf of Mexico Early This Week
## The tropics will begin to show signs of life in the Gulf of Mexico early this week, putting lives and property in danger across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas// A disturbance moving from the Yucatan Peninsula over the Gulf of Mexico will have a window of opportunity to organize itself late in the weekend and into the first part of the new week, potentially becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm// Fortunately, this disturbance is expected to remain relatively weak and should be a far cry from a powerful, destructive hurricane//
Olympic Stadium cost rises to £701m from initial £280m estimate
## The overall bill for the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, largely met by taxpayers, has soared to more than £700m before West Ham United move in as tenants next year. In a move likely to reignite the row over the amount of public money used to make the stadium suitable for both football and athletics, the London Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed the total cost of the transformation at £272m.Originally the Olympic Stadium was priced up at £280m in the London 2012 bid book before the price tag rose to £429m. The latest announcement, following the last of the contracts being signed, takes the total cost of the stadium to £701m. In April the Guardian revealed that the LLDC had opened itself up to a decade of potential challenges over whether the deal broke European Commission state aid rules by not applying for prenotification. The final confirmed cost of the transformation, towards which West Ham will make a £15m contribution on top of the £2.5m they will pay annually for a 99 year lease, is significantly higher than the £154m originally announced when the deal with West Ham was agreed.Without allowing for inflation, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff cost £121m in 1999 and Arsenal-s similar sized Emirates Stadium cost £390m in 2006. However, the LLDC would argue that the Olympic Stadium project was unusually challenging in engineering terms and involved effectively entirely rebuilding the existing structure. The saga of the stadium-s legacy has been long and tortuous. The initial plan was to remove the upper tiers of the stadium and scale it back to a modest 25,000 seat bowl after the Games.
## But the coalition government and Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, urged a rethink in 2010, reasoning that it was folly to in effect knock it down and that only football could provide a sustainable future. Following a bitter battle with Tottenham Hotspur, a deal was eventually agreed with West Ham that later collapsed under legal challenge. Following another tender process, the club were awarded a 99 year lease to share the stadium with other tenants including UK Athletics. The operator of the Stade de France was recently appointed to handle the running of the stadium and to book concerts and sporting events to supplement income. Last year the LLDC admitted that the cost had risen to £193.9m as a result of difficulties that Balfour Beatty was experiencing with the world-s largest cantilevered roof. The LLDC said that the deals it had signed with West Ham, who will in effect be the main tenants during the football season, and British Athletics, which is entitled to use for the whole of July, would ensure that it would not require continuing subsidy from the taxpayer. *We have invested in transforming a temporary athletics venue into a permanent world class multiuse arena that has a secure and long term sustainable future,* said the LLDC-s chief executive, David Goldstone. *This has required a significant amount of work and innovative engineering solutions. *Alongside the transformation work the deals signed with British Athletics and West Ham United and the appointment of a stadium operator ensures the stadium will pay its way and not require any continuing subsidy from the taxpayer.*The largest chunk of funding for the transformation comes from a one off settlement of £148.8m from the exchequer in 2010. On top of that Newham council has provided £40m, West Ham £15m, almost £40m comes from the original £9.3bn budget for the Olympics, a further £25m from the government. UK Athletics has invested £1m and the London Marathon Charitable Trust has provided £3.5m. In return for investing £40m for a share in the special purpose vehicle that owns the stadium, Newham council has been guaranteed access to the stadium and up to 100,000 tickets a year to West Ham matches.
## West Ham are set to move into the stadium, which will have 21,000 moveable seats designed to make it more suitable for football, at the start of the 2016 17 season. The club-s vice chair, Karren Brady, who has sold out of some of the executive box offerings, has promised cut price season tickets in order to fill the ground and make Premier League football more affordable. Johnson blamed a lack of planning by his predecessors for the cost of transforming the stadium into a 54,000 seat multipurpose arena. Concerned about the potential for delays and without a definite commitment from a football club, the Olympic board decided in 2007 to press ahead with plans to build the stadium with a demountable top tier that could be removed afterwards to bring the capacity down to 25,000. *A very bad call was made when those in charge at the time backed a stadium construction plan that would leave the Olympic Park with a much smaller, mouldering and tumbleweed ridden arena following the Games,* Johnson said. *Following that plan would have literally torn the heart out of the park and put at risk the incredible economic regeneration we are now seeing in east London.
## *Our remedy offered long term sustainable investment in order to protect an iconic stadium that Londoners took to their hearts, and which is now set to be home to almost every conceivable sport, concert or community event for decades to come. *We-ve created a knockout venue that will drive and sustain thousands of jobs, where we-ve ensured that a hefty share of the profits will be paid back into the taxpayers coffers and which provides a genuine Olympic legacy for our city.*
Tag :
Sport
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A Hectic Day at Charleston Church, and Then a Hellish Visitor
## At about 9, gunfire and terrified cries shattered the evening calm// In the pastor s office, Mr// Pinckney s wife, who had been waiting patiently with their younger daughter, turned off the lights, locked the door, hugged her child close and called 911// When the shooting was over, nine congregants were dead, including Mr. Pinckney and two of the newly ordained ministers, each shot multiple times with a //45caliber handgun// The stranger identified by the police as Dylann Roof, 21, a high school dropout and sometime landscaper has been charged with nine counts of murder// *You are raping our women and taking over our country,* Mr. Roof said to the victims, all of them black, before killing them, witnesses told the police// In a matter of unforeseen moments, the future of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and its 350 active members would be changed forever// Church leaders were lost, along with worshipers young and middleaged// Children were left motherless// A girls track team lost its coach, a university its admissions coordinator// And residents of all races in Charleston, a city that places such value on its houses of worship that it calls itself the Holy City, recoiled in horror as one of its most storied buildings was desecrated by intolerant rage and transformed, if briefly, into a charnel house//
## A parishioner, Elizabeth Alston, said Saturday that the church would be open for Sunday school and services the next morning//
The massacre has reverberated far beyond Charleston, prompting fierce new debate about race relations in a nation already grappling with protests over police conduct toward AfricanAmericans// President Obama spoke Thursday of *the heartache and the sadness and the anger* the shootings had elicited// The Justice Department opened a hate crimes investigation// And in Columbia, where Mr. Pinckney s empty desk in the Legislature has been adorned with a black cloak and flowers, lawmakers were once again grappling with the question of whether the Confederate battle flag should fly on the grounds of the statehouse//But the deepest pain was at the handsome, whitewashed old church in Charleston, now cordoned off with yellow police tape, and along the intimate tendrils that connected its members to friends and family// The Itinerant Pastor Mr. Pinckney, 41, was a busy man// But when he was talking to you, said Sylvia Johnson, 56, his cousin, he locked eyes intently and listened carefully// He was especially tender toward Ms.Johnson s blind daughter// His voice could move into a more stern, but still loving, register when he addressed his own daughters, Eliana and Malana// With his flock in Charleston, his home in Jasper County, at South Carolina s southernmost tip, and his job up in Columbia, Mr. Pinckney had to work to spread his love around// He called himself the *itinerant pastor//* He had recently run an old car dry and bought a new SUV// On Wednesday morning in Columbia, he was dressed, sharp as always, in a dark suit and sitting in his office with his back to a view of the capitol dome, preparing for a Senate Finance Committee meeting// He was surrounded by framed newspaper spreads, recognitions of achievement, volumes of Bibles and a poster of the Rev// Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Next to a refrigerator bearing a *Yes! I Love My Library* sticker given to him by his wife, Jennifer, a librarian, he had rolled up a bunch of posters depicting AfricanAmerican life in the South Carolina Lowcountry// He planned to take them home that day//
But first, another day of work// Mr. Pinckney, elected to the South Carolina House at age 23, had always had a sense of purpose// In seventh grade, the skinny student endured the taunts of his classmates in Jasper County, a depressed angle of what Senate colleagues called the Forgotten Triangle, for wearing a starched shirt and tie and for carrying a briefcase instead of a backpack//
## He thought you needed to dress like someone to be someone// Continue reading the main story RELATED IN OPINION Hatred or Heritage?
He quickly became someone// He had begun preaching sermons in his teens// An ambitious intern unafraid to ask his bosses to look at the county budget, he became a page in the State House of Representatives and ultimately a member, and then a senator//Now, 12 hours before he was killed, he took the elevator down to Room 105 for another meeting on the budget, where he again pushed, in the face of an overwhelming Republican majority, for funding to fix the roads in his deprived district// Later, he rode an escalator up from the parking lot to the statehouse// He walked between marble columns and up a mahogany staircase lined with paintings of the Revolutionary War, and greeted friends in a lobby presided over by a statue of John C. Calhoun// In the stately Senate chamber, he greeted more friends on the floor and took a seat next to Senator Vincent A.Sheheen, a fellow Democrat// It was here that Mr.Pinckney made his mark that day// When Mr.Sheheen nervously prepared to voice his opposition to a compromise reached with Republicans on their effort to introduce a voter ID bill, he was shocked to hear Mr.Pinckney s booming voice call out, *No//* Advertisement Continue reading the main story *When I heard him voting no, loud and clear, I knew I was doing the right thing,* Mr.Sheheen said// They were the only two to vote in dissent// Mr.Pinckney left another meeting early, telling colleagues that he had an appointment at his church back in Charleston// A WildTalking SuspectIt is not clear where or how Mr. Roof spent his Wednesday morning// Even to his friends, there were unexplained gaps// He had dropped out of many of his oldest friends lives some years ago// But then, about a month ago, he resurfaced, telling them that he had gone to a public library in Columbia to open a Facebook account for the express purpose of finding them// As a younger man, Mr. Roof had a rocky academic career, attending ninth grade twice at two schools, but possibly not making it any further// Friends recalled him as being painfully shy// But recently, he had been showing a new side, his friends said: spouting racist comments, praising segregation and talking wildly of setting off a race war// He had also been arrested twice: once in February for possession of Suboxone, a drug used to treat opiate addiction, and a second time in April for trespassing at a mall where he had been banned for a year after the first arrest// On the day Mr. Roof contacted his old friends through Facebook, he went to the family trailer home of one of them, Joseph C.Meek Jr//, in Red Bank, in suburban Lexington County// Soon, he was sleeping there as often as four times a week, sometimes on the floor// He had a cellphone, his friends said, but no phone service// To communicate, he used WiFi to send messages via Facebook, or he showed up in person// Mr. Roof told his friends that he had quit a landscaping job because he could not bear working in the Southern heat// He spent his days loafing around the place, watching television and sometimes calling his father, pretending to be at work, said Jacob Meek, 15, Joseph s brother// *He said his parents kept pressuring him to get a job,* Jacob said//
He was fond of vodka and usually kept a stash around// He went to the Platinum Plus strip club recently, Jacob said, and threw dollar bills at the dancers//But amid his aimlessness, Joseph Meek, 20, and other friends said, Mr.Roof talked wildly about hurting AfricanAmericans, about doing something *crazy//* Joseph, worried, hid the //45caliber handgun Mr. Roof had bought with money his parents gave him for his 21st birthday// But Joseph eventually returned the gun because he was on probation and feared having it around// At one point, Jacob said, Mr. Roof s parents took the gun, too// *I guess he stole it back,* he said// On Tuesday, Mr. Roof agreed to drive his friends to Lake Murray// He said he was pressed for time, because he wanted to make the 2 p.m. showing of *Jurassic World* at the AMC theater// He showed Jacob the movie coupon he had in his car// He carried a $7 pack of American Spirit cigarettes and wore a longsleeve gray shirt with a Border Patrol logo on one side and a sleeve stained with battery acid//
## He wore that shirt all the time, Jacob said// Advertisement Continue reading the main story He was not acting jumpy or out of the ordinary, his friends recalled// He was acting like a guy who had a movie to catch// *He did seem like he was in a rush,* Jacob said// *He was like, Come on, let s go// *Felicia Sanders, who was in the room, heard the gunfire before seeing who the gunman was, she later told a friend, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Pinckney s cousin// Ms,Sanders dropped to the ground with her 5yearold granddaughter// She saw blood everywhere// The white visitor was doing the shooting, and he reloaded his weapon five times// Ms, Sanders s son, Tywanza Sanders, tried unsuccessfully to shield his aunt, Susie Jackson, 87, and talk sense to the gunman// *That s when the gunman said: Y all are raping our women and taking over the country// This must be done, * Ms. Johnson recalled Ms. Sanders telling her// Then he shot Tywanza// At one point, he asked a woman if she had been shot yet// When she said no, he said: *Good// Someone has to live to tell the story, because I m going to kill myself, too//* Ms. Sanders survived only by playing dead, Ms. Johnson said//
Soon, the gunman was gone, fleeing in his Hyundai Elantra and leaving nine churchgoers dead or dying behind//
Tag :
News
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The Cost of Letting Young People Drift
## President Obama spotlighted a national crisis last year when he launched My Brother-s Keeper, an initiative that encourages communities, nonprofits and the private sector to focus on ways to improve the lives of some of the nation-s most vulnerable young people// According to the White House, the private sector has since directed nearly $500 million to various projects aimed at expanding opportunity for this group//
## The crisis, in a nutshell, is the isolation of millions of young black and Latino men, who are disengaged from school, work and mainstream institutions generally// The task of bridging that gap has been left to the philanthropic community, which understands the crisis and has undertaken various educational initiatives// But the country as a whole seems largely unaware that a large number of young people exist wholly apart from the mainstream, a situation that is enormously damaging to them and to the rest of society//
## The scope of the problem is outlined in a new study of nearly 100 American cities by Measure of America, a policy group at the Social Science Research Council// The study finds that more than 5.5 million people ages 16 to 24 are neither working nor in school, a significantly larger group than before the recession//
## At a time when the economy is requiring workers to have higher levels of skills, one in seven of America-s young adults can-t even get started// And even if they find jobs, they are likely to earn significantly less than their peers, be more dependent on public assistance programs and end up worse off physically and mentally than their more fortunate peers//
## The depth of this disengagement varies by race and place// Nationally, 21.6 percent of black youths are neither working nor in school, compared with 20.3 percent of Native Americans, 16.3 percent of Latinos, 11.3 percent of whites and 7.9 percent of Asians// In nine metropolitan areas, at least one in four black youths are shut out of society this way// In some cases Chicago, for instance whites and Latinos do slightly better than in the country as a whole, but African Americans do much worse, with a rate of 24.5 percent neither working nor in school// In the greater Boston area, white and black youths fare relatively well, while Latinos do worse// In 10 metro areas, at least one in five Latino youths are out of both work and school//
Tag :
LifeStyle
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Miley Cyrus *has been romancing Victoria's Secret model Stella Maxwell for months*
## She-s been keeping quiet about her love life since her split from Patrick Schwarzenegger in April.
But according to new reports Miley Cyrus has found romance with stunning Victoria s Secret model Stella Maxwell.
The two were spotted on Wednesday sharing an embrace in NYC just days after Miley admitted to being bisexual in an interview.
A source has told the New York Daily News Confidenti column that Miley and Stella have been dating for months and are known in their circle of friends as a couple : They hold hands and hug and are very comfortable together. They re definitely together, adds the insider.
Representatives for Miley and Stella have been contacted for comment.
Miley and the 24 year old, who is Northern Irish but was bought up in Belgium and New Zealand, met through Miley s assistant and close friend Cheyne Thomas. Stella though joked during an interview with V Magazine earlier this year that the two
The singer has never named a female lover but has been open about her bisexuality, telling Paper Magazine last week, I am literally open to every single thing that is consenting and doesn-t involve an animal and everyone is of age. Everything that s legal, I m down with. Yo, I m down with any adult anyone over the age of 18 who is down to love me.
## The Tennessee native added, I-am just equal. I-am just even. It has nothing to do with any parts of me or how I dress or how I look. It-s literally just how I feel.
The 22 year old talked more about her sexuality when interviewed by Time about her collaboration with Happy Hippie her non profit dedicated to helping homeless and LGBT youth and Instagram to spread positive images of gender nonconforming people with her campaign.
She said: There are times in my life where I-ve had boyfriends or girlfriends. And there are times where I just love being with myself and don t want to give part of myself away to someone else ... I think that s a new freedom for women, especially.
She has also described the moment she opened up about her sexuality to her mother Tish when she was 14. I remember telling her I admire women in a different way, she explained to Paper Magazine earlier this year. And she asked me what that meant. And I said, *I love them. I love them like I love boys.* And it was so hard for her to understand.
She didn-t want me to be judged and she didn t want me to go to hell. But she believes in me more than she believes in any God. I just asked for her to accept me. And she has.
The Wrecking Ball admitted she when she was with women, she felt she needed to protect them and be macho.
## The subject was broached when she talked about being around overly macho energy.
Whatever her relationship status, the Wrecking Ball singer certainly looked in great spirits as she enjoyed a night out with friends in New York on Thursday, flashing a huge smile as she partied in Soho.
The 22 year old looked ready for a rave in her colourful outfit as she she and a group of pals, including Flaming Lips star Wayne Coyne, poured out of a bar in NYC.
Rocking double denim, Miley teamed ripped jeans with a matching jacket layered over a pink t-shirt.
A pair of heart print Doc Martens and a bright green bag finished off her outfit, with the star adding a backwards baseball cap over her short blonde hair and covering her face in stickers.
Tag :
ShowBiz
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I played No Man's Sky and now I'm a believer; I'm also an alien murderer
## 18 QUINTILLION WORLDS Murray and I are talking about intergalactic continuity how the math behind the game works so that each procedurally generated planet will be the same for each player who visits [presumably because the *input* is based at least in part on spatial coordinates]// On a couch behind us, another developer is typing away on a laptop trying to find bugs in the game-s code// Sean is swimming through a lake on the planet Konanko scanning for new aquatic life// Above us looms a large trading post// Then he hands me the controller and tells me to go find a new planet// I thumb left through the dense cloud of dots and press X into the ether// A name pops up for a planet called Dreapolys// Like all things in this game, the name is procedurally generated, too, and if you-re the first to find the planet, you can rename it// That goes into the cloud for others to see; Murray promises they-ll try their best to find and remove offensive [likely genital related] titles//I warp into Dreapolys orbit// On stage at the E3 2015 demo, this took about five seconds// Here it-s more like 20 seconds still surprisingly quick, and something Murray says will be quicker by the time the game is released// I twist the nose of my spaceship to and fro to get a feel for my surroundings// I look to the large planet below and begin my descent to the dark side of Dreapolys// Murray points out that I should probably start moving towards the brighter side of planet; by the time I break into the atmosphere, ## I-m at the edge of daylight// Landing is thankfully easy just press triangle and my spaceship will find the next suitable spot and drop down// The part where I land is less grass and more rock, looking out over several small lakes// Still, it-s serene; large, simple shaped crystals of bold colors jut out of the surface// If I blast them with my *gun* which is also used for scanning the environment I can collect minerals to use in crafting upgrades for my gun, suit, or spaceship// I can also sell these minerals at various trading posts for space money and buy nicer guns, suits, and spaceships [you can only have one of each at any given time]// I scan the environment, looking for new creatures to add to my logbook// At the same time, a group of pink blurs are jumping past me// There was no imminent threat I don-t even think they noticed me//
Tag :
LifeStyle
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